Baby Blues
by AnastaziaDanielle
Summary: Pre-series. Sam discovers he is going to be a father.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Supernatural does not belong to me.

Baby Blues

Chapter 1

Jessica opened the door to the small apartment she shared with her boyfriend as nerves burned in her stomach. "Sam?" she called anxiously as she tucked her long blonde hair behind her ears, relieved when there was no answer. Her boyfriend wasn't home from his late class yet.

Locking the door behind her, Jess dropped her purse on the couch after removing two slim boxes with trembling hands. Pregnancy tests. She was late. She had put off buying them because her period was never regular, allowing her to remain in a state of denial. But then, yesterday, the belly pain had started, and she was no longer able to ignore the fact that she had missed her period. Fear gathered in the back of her throat, making her want to scream. What was she going to do if she was pregnant? How was she going to tell Sam?

Jess hurried into the bedroom and changed into her comfy sweats, the ones she wore when she didn't feel well, before shuffling into the small bathroom. Her fingers fumbled clumsily over the first box as she opened the package. Soon, both tests were resting on the bathroom counter as she flushed the toilet and leaned against the bathroom door, sliding down to sit on the cool tile floor.

She blinked back tears and reminded herself that she didn't have to panic, not until those two tests were complete. Not until she knew for sure.

Jess was still in school, and so was Sam. He wanted to go to law school; they had talked about it again just a few days ago. Would he be angry with her? She didn't think so, but her boyfriend also had a sense of duty. Jess was worried that he would give up everything if they were having a baby and then end up resenting her and the child later on. She knew, however, that ending the pregnancy was not an option she would consider.

Jess wiped in a futile motion at the tears that had begun to course their way down her cheeks. If she was pregnant, she knew that she would carry the baby. Jess rested her forehead on her knees. It was the raising part that had her concerned. Would Sam want to be a part of this with her? They'd been together not quite a year.

Raising her head, Jess pushed unsteadily to her feet and forced herself to look at the two tests that rested on the counter. Positive. Both of them.

Panic welled up inside of her and she snatched them off the counter before shoving them both back into the empty boxes. Hurrying into the living room, she hid the boxes in her purse, not daring to throw them away where Sam might find them.

Jess swallowed hard and shuffled back into the bathroom where she washed her shaking hands and splashed water on her face before looking in the mirror. The face staring back at her was too pale with dark circles bruising the skin beneath her eyes. With a heavy sigh, Jess pushed her disheveled hari back from her face and went back into the bedroom. Throwing back the covers, she crawled into the bed. Sam would be concerned when he arrived to find her already in bed, but her stomach was hurting and she needed time to get her thoughts together. One look at her face, and he'd be trying to draw her out into conversation about whatever was eating at her, and she wasn't ready to share her news with him. Not yet. She needed time to plan out what she was going to say.

Jess must have dozed off at some point. She woke to Sam spooning behind her, his breath warm against her neck.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly once he realized she was awake. "You are in bed early."

"My stomach was bothering me," she murmured, surprised to find her throat suddenly tight with emotion.

"Jess?" Sam questioned as he kissed the shell of her ear. He knew something was wrong. Her body was too tense, her tone too tight. He slid his hand gently around her to rest it over her abdomen, hoping the warmth would soothe her pain. "Cramps?" he asked gently.

"Sam," she sobbed suddenly as she turned to bury her face in his chest.

Alarm spiraled through him. "Jess, what is it? Are you sick?" He pushed her blonde hair back from her face and reached behind him to turn on the lamp that sat on the nightstand. Tears soaked his girlfriend's cheeks, and her nose was red from crying.

"Sam, I'm pregnant," she gasped out around a sob as she studied his face anxiously for his reaction. She hadn't planned on telling him tonight, but the words rushed out before she could stop them.

Sam's eyes widened as a strange burning sensation began in the pit of his stomach. "Pr-pregnant?" he stammered, his mind darting from one thought to the next.

Jess nodded and wiped at her face with trembling hands. "I was afraid you'd be upset," she said softly, her eyes still fixed on his face as she studied his reaction..

Sam shook his head. "No, no, I'm not upset." Although his world had suddenly tipped upside down, he realized that Jess needed his encouragement and support right now. He tried to gather his scattered thoughts and pull himself together to support his girlfriend. "I'm surprised – shocked – but not upset, Jess." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "A baby, wow….." He trailed off as attempted to process the idea of a tiny baby created by him and Jess.

Jess sniffled. "But you have school and then law school, and I'm still in school." Her shoulders began to shake with sobs once again as she buried her face in his chest.

"We'll figure this out, Jess. We have time," he assured her even as his stomach twisted with anxiety. He stroked gentle hands through her long, blonde hair and held her as she cried. Sam breathed in the scent of her shampoo as he pressed his face into her long, blonde tresses. "It's going to be okay," he murmured.

Jess cried herself to sleep in his arms with Sam rubbing soothing circles on her back. He laid awake a long time, his mind mulling over their options for the future. They would be a family. There had to be a way for both of them to finish school, work, and raise a baby. He was sure that together they could find a way. It was a long time before he finally fell asleep.

Jess woke early the next morning with her stomach cramping mildly. Sam had turned on his side facing away from her, one of his long, gangly arms hanging off of the bed. Jess rubbed at her eyes. They felt goopy and swollen after all of the crying she had done the night before.

She shuffled into the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face, feeling slightly more revived afterwards. Her belly continued to twinge, but she ignored it and dressed for the day in a pale blue sundress with spaghetti straps.

A rustling from the bed behind her drew her attention. Sam rolled over and rubbed sleepily at his eyes, looking for all the world just like a little boy. Jess' heart melted as she gazed down at the love of her life. Sam had been different from the moment she'd met him. She'd fallen for him and fallen hard.

He blinked up at her. "Hey, how are you feeling this morning?"

"My stomach is still a little unhappy," she admitted, watching as Sam rolled out of bed.

He adjusted his boxers and moved to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her and placing his hand over her belly. "Is our baby okay?" he asked in concern.

Jess felt a smile curve her lips at the words " _our baby_." "He's fine."

"So you think it's a boy?" Sam asked as he gently turned her around in his arms, his eyes twinkling.

"Yup, a little boy that looks just like you," she murmured, leaning up to kiss his chin.

Sam chuckled softly. "My brother won't know what to think when he finds out he's going to be an uncle." He knew, however, that Dean would spoil this baby rotten every chance he got.

Jess ran her hands up and down Sam's sides, a grin tugging at the corner of her mouth as he squirmed just a bit. "I can't wait to meet this mystery brother of yours."

"He'll try to teach our son bad habits," Sam grinned, although it quickly faded. "My dad will be upset, though."

"I thought you and your dad didn't speak," Jess told him softly.

"We don't," Sam sighed. "But he has his ways of finding things out." He pushed the depressing thoughts to the back of his mind. "But I'm not going to worry about it. Have you made a doctor's appointment yet?"

Jess shook her head, glad to see that Sam was concerned about their baby. "No, I'll call my doctor this afternoon once class is over."

"Good," Sam smiled, placing a kiss to her forehead. "Do you need me to take you to class?"

Jess chuckled. "Sam, I'm pregnant, not an invalid. I'll be fine."

He studied her for a moment. "If you're sure…" he trailed off.

"I am," she laughed, ignoring the slight pain in her stomach.

Jess called her doctor's office as soon as her last class of the day was over. She sighed with relief when she was able to get a doctor's appointment for the next week. Sam was hovering, and she wanted the doctor to tell him that everything was going to be all right.

Sam returned from his classes late that afternoon looking windblown and tired. He brushed his longish bangs back from his forehead and dropped his heavy bag of books on the floor next to the desk. Then he sought her out in the kitchen. "Did you call the doctor?" he asked anxiously as he planted a tender kiss on her lips.

"Yes," she smiled. "I have an appointment next week when neither of us has class. That way you can go with me and the doctor can tell you that you don't need to be such a mother hen."

Sam pulled back and looked offended. "Hey, I'm just making sure you and our baby are all right. There's nothing wrong with that." He'd never been around a pregnant woman before, but surely Jess would need to be more careful in her day to day activity now that she was carrying a baby.

"But you can't smother me, Sam," Jess pointed out softly, her fingers tenderly stroking the five o'clock shadow that rimmed his jaw.

"But-" he argued.

"No buts," she smiled. "Sam, I'm fine. The baby will be fine."

He sighed, but slipped his arms around her waist. "Can I take my girlfriend and my baby out to dinner to celebrate?"

"Has to be someplace cheap since payday isn't for three more days," she laughed, "but sure."

Sam grinned and twined his fingers with hers. "I love you, Jess," he smiled, pressing his lips tenderly to hers before leading her out of the kitchen and toward their front door.

To Be Continued…


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural. I am not a doctor, so please excuse any medical mistakes.

Baby Blues

Chapter 2

Jess locked herself in the tiny bathroom stall of the Mexican restaurant and leaned against its cool, metal wall. Her stomach pains had tapered off for the most part, but tonight over dinner they had returned with a vengeance. She was glad to be going to the doctor tomorrow. Maybe something really was wrong with her.

When she pulled down her pants, her heart began to thud at the sight of a smear of blood in her panties. Jess took in several deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself. Lots of women spotted during pregnancy, right? Just a few days ago the baby she was carrying terrified her, but now she was excited to meet the new life within her. This baby was a part of both her and Sam, and she loved it already.

Jess used the restroom and straightened her clothes before she washed her hands and returned to the table where Sam sat with several of their friends. Reaching her boyfriend, she placed a hand on his broad shoulder and leaned down to murmur in his ear. "Sam, I'm not feeling well. I need to go home."

He turned in his chair and immediately stood. "Are you okay? Is the-." He stopped, realizing that he had nearly spilled the news about their baby.

"I - I – my stomach is bothering me," Jess explained to Sam before turning to look at the rest of their friends. "Sorry, guys."

"Hey, no sweat," Josh, a tall, lanky blonde athlete smiled at her. "We'll catch you and Sam next time."

Sam reached into his pocket and tossed enough cash on the table to cover their meals and a tip. "See you later," he called as he slipped a protective arm around Jess and led her out of the restaurant.

When the door swung shut behind them and they stepped out into the warm evening, he pulled her against his side. "What's wrong?"

"Um," Jess' voice quivered now that she was alone with Sam. She could no longer hold back her emotions. "My stomach is really hurting and I'm spotting."

Sam's eyebrows rose and he stopped walking. "Do we need to go to the hospital?"

"No, I don't think so," Jess told him in a shaky voice. "I don't know. Maybe if I go home and lie down on the couch I'll feel better."

Sam helped her into her car and then jogged around to the driver's side. "I'm glad you're going to the doctor tomorrow," Sam told her as he looked over to see his girlfriend wiping tears from her eyes with shaky hands. "Hey," he said softly, reaching over to capture one of her hands with his. "Don't worry until the doctor tells us to worry," he soothed, rubbing his thumb in circles over her soft skin.

She nodded and sniffled. "You're right."

"And if you start feeling worse, we'll go the hospital," Sam added as he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers. He tried to tell himself that Jess and their baby were fine, but the stomach pains had him worried.

"Okay," she sighed, feeling calmer with Sam at her side.

By the time Sam had parked the car, Jess was relieved to find that her cramps were subsiding.

"You stay there. I'm coming around to you," Sam ordered as he removed the key from the ignition.

"Sam," Jess protested, "I can get out on my own."

He shook his head as he opened his door. "No, wait for me."

Jess sighed and watched as her boyfriend hurried around the front of the car. If he was a mother hen throughout her entire pregnancy, he was going to drive her crazy.

Sam opened the door and offered her his hand.

"Such a gentleman," she smiled as she stepped out of the car. Dizziness assaulted her for a moment, and she tightened her grip on him.

"Are you okay?" he asked, dipping his head to stare into her face.

Jess managed a tight smile. "I'm fine, but I'll be even better once I'm stretched out on the couch."

"Then let's get you upstairs." Sam reached down and swung her up into his arms.

Jess barely suppressed a squeal. "Sam! What are you doing?"

"Let me take care of you and our baby, Jess," he nearly pleaded with her, all puppy dog eyes and hangdog expression.

Only hesitating for a moment, she nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck. "This is actually pretty romantic," she smiled. Sam huffed a small laugh.

He wrestled the key into their apartment door without putting Jess down and finally managed to swing the door open. Kicking it closed behind him, he gently settled his girlfriend on the couch before going back and locking the door. When he turned around, Jess had stretched out on the sofa with a sigh of relief.

"It feels good to be home," she nearly moaned.

"I'll get you a blanket," Sam told her, suddenly full of nervous energy.

"Sam, I'm fine," she protested.

"You might get cold," he argued as he tugged a lightweight afghan knitted by Jess' grandmother out of their tiny linen closet and draped it over the back of their well-worn couch. "Just in case you do get cold," he told her with a small smile as he bent to place a tender kiss to her forehead, his hand drifting down to rest over her lower belly. "I love you, Jess – both of you."

She covered his hand on her womb with her own. "We love you, too, Sam." A mischievous smile touched her lips. "Now, go study or read and let me take a nap."

"Call me if you need me," he told her anxiously.

Jess rolled her eyes. He was such a mother hen. She waited until he left the room to tug the blanket from the back of the couch. Turning on her side, she closed her eyes and sighed in relief. Her stomach was better and it felt so good just to close her eyes and rest.

When Jess woke later, the apartment was dark and silent. Sam must have gone to bed. She rolled over onto her back and gasped at the sharp pain that darted across her belly and her side. Gritting her teeth so she wouldn't cry out, she curled into a ball. Perhaps the pain would pass soon.

When it didn't, sweat began to bead on her forehead as a moan escaped her lips. Maybe she needed to use the restroom. Jess managed to sit up, but nearly doubled over in pain. She needed help. "Sam!" she called out through clenched teeth.

She heard a soft thump from the bedroom and then the padding of bare feet. "Jess?" Sam's sleepy voice called out. "Are you okay?"

"Sam, it hurts," she nearly sobbed as the pain increased. She could feel her sweat-dampened clothes begin to cling to her body as she cradled her belly and bent over to try to ease the pain.

"Jess?" Sam called out worriedly as he entered the room, switched on a light, and hurried to her side on the sofa. "Is it your stomach?" he asked.

"Yeah," she grunted. "Something's wrong. I think maybe I'm losing the baby." Tears welled in her eyes. "Sam, I'm scared."

"We'll get you to the hospital and let a doctor look at you," Sam soothed as he brushed damp tendrils of blonde hair back from her face. "Can you walk?"

She shook her head as tears continued to stream down her cheeks.

"Okay," Sam comforted as he pressed a kiss to her brow. "Let me slip on some jeans and I'll carry you to the car."

Sam's heart was pounding in his chest as he hurried into the bedroom and tugged a well-worn pair of jeans on over his boxers. Then he snatched the t-shirt he had worn yesterday from the top of the hamper and slipped it on. He shoved his feet into a pair of old flip flops and hurried back to his girlfriend's side. "Okay, Jess. Let's go."

She looked up at him in tears. "I'm bleeding, Sam." Her voice shook and her hands trembled as she gestured toward her pajama pants. "I'm losing our baby."

Sam scooped her up into his arms for the second time in the last few hours and carried her out to the car. Jess curled in a ball in the front seat and cried as pain continued to stab across her abdomen. Sam drove with one hand and kept the other on his girlfriend's leg hoping he could offer her some small bit of comfort.

"Sam," she sniffled, "I love our baby."

"I know, Jess. I do, too." He squeezed her leg gently. "We're almost at the hospital."

"The seat feels wet. I think I'm still bleeding." Jess sounded tired.

Alarm spiraled through Sam. Could a woman bleed out this way? He pressed the accelerator down. "Just hang in there, Jess."

She moaned, keeping one hand around her abdomen as the other crept up to her shoulder.

Sam frowned. "Is your shoulder hurting?" he asked as he glanced over at her.

"Just started," she sniffled.

Sam pulled up in front of the emergency room door and hurried around the car. He flung the passenger door open and reached into the gather his bleeding girlfriend in his arms. The amount of blood in the front seat terrified him. He turned and nearly ran into the emergency room.

The woman at the reception desk jumped to her feet when Sam entered, her eyes widening at the blood that covered Jess's legs. "I'll get someone with a gurney," she called to Sam.

Within moments, a trauma team was rushing through the door and easing Jess out of Sam's arms and onto a gurney. He tried to stay with her, but a doctor pushed him out of the way.

Jess swallowed hard. "Go park the car, Sam. I'll be okay. Just hurry back."

"I love you, Jess," Sam called to her, his heart in this throat as he watched the trauma team wheel his girlfriend through the double doors.

"Go move your car and then you can fill out the paperwork," the kind receptionist told him as she placed a comforting hand on his arm.

Sam nodded mechanically and hurried outside to find a park. The scent of the blood in the front seat made his stomach roll, and he swallowed back the bile that rose in his throat. Jess needed him; he couldn't fall apart now. Sam found himself longing for the big brother that had always been at his side whenever things were bad; he wished he could call Dean. Tamping down that thought, he returned inside to fill out Jess' paperwork.

It seemed forever until he was allowed in the back to see his girlfriend. There was a flutter of activity in the small trauma room as Jess was hooked up to monitors and IVs. An ultrasound machine had been pushed to the side of the bed and the tech placed cool gel on Jess's abdomen as Sam entered the room.

He watched as his girlfriend flinched in pain at the tech's touch and hurried forward to take his Jess's hand in his own. "Hey, the doctors are going to figure out what's wrong soon and get you feeling better," he encouraged as he brushed her sweaty blonde hair back from her face.

"Hurts," she gasped as the tech pressed the wand against her belly.

"I know it does," Sam told her as he placed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

The ultrasound tech and the doctor studied the screen carefully. Sam watched and tried to figure out if there was a baby in the picture somewhere.

The doctor and the tech both nodded and pointed to the screen at nearly the same time before the doctor turned to Jess. "You have a ruptured ectopic pregnancy," he explained. "We need to get you into surgery right away."

"There's no way you can save the baby?" Jess asked as tears welled in her eyes. She grasped Sam's hand tightly.

"No, I'm afraid not," the doctor replied. "We need to stop your bleeding, so the nurses will prep you for the OR."

"Sam," Jess nearly pleaded as she pulled on his hand. She was terrified. She'd never had surgery before. Now she was facing it in a matter of minutes and they had lost their baby.

"I know," he murmured as he leaned over and rested his forehead against hers. "I love you, and we will get through this."

"I'm scared," she admitted as her heart pounded in her chest. Her hands felt clammy. Suddenly she was dizzy and the room swam around her. "I think I'm going to be sick."

A nurse grabbed a basin and held it for her as she emptied the contents of her stomach into its depths. Sam held her hair back from her face as she vomited.

He helped her settle back against the pillows once she'd finished. The nurse leaned around him to place a blue cap over Jess' hair.

"Mr. Winchester," the kind woman explained, "I can show you to the surgical waiting room. The doctor will be out to speak to you once the procedure is complete."

Sam nodded as his stomach swirled with anxiety. "I love you, Jess," he murmured. "You're going to be fine. Just hang in there."

She stared up at him, her eyes wide with fear. "Love you, too," she murmured, giving his hand a final squeeze before she was wheeled out of the trauma room.

Sam followed a nurse to the waiting room and then sat awkwardly in one of the hard, pink chairs that lined the room. He shifted as he tried to get comfortable, but his nerves wouldn't let him sit still. Sam stood and walked to the coffee pot in the corner where he busied himself with brewing a fresh pot. That done, he paced the room as he waited for the coffee to finish brewing.

The waiting room was empty this time of night. He drank three cups of coffee as he alternately paced and sat. Sam thumbed through the magazines that sat on the tables without really reading them only to stand up and begin walking the room once again. He longed to call his brother and tell him what was going on. Dean would know the right things to say to make him feel better, but he knew his father would find out about the situation. No, it was best not to call Dean.

Sam ran a hand through his unruly mop of hair and flopped back down into one of the uncomfortable chairs. Time had crawled by, but surely Jess' surgery should be complete by now. What if something had gone wrong? Just as Sam decided he would see if he could find someone who could give him an update, the tired doctor walked into the waiting room. He gave Sam an exhausted smile and gestured to the chairs.

Both men sat down, and Sam looked at the doctor anxiously. "How is she?"

"Ms. Moore did very well. She is resting comfortably." The doctor spoke confidently, which put Sam at ease.

"What's her long term prognosis? Will she be able to have more children?" Sam asked anxiously. Suddenly, more than anything, he wanted to marry Jess and create a family with her.

The doctor nodded. "It may be more difficult for her to get pregnant from now on, but it is possible. However, the likelihood of an ectopic pregnancy has increased for her. Her OBGYN will probably monitor her carefully."

Sam nodded. "Thank you for everything, Doctor." He extended his hand and the doctor shook it.

"You are very welcome. I wish you and Ms. Moore all the best. A grief counselor will be visiting with the two of you tomorrow. I'm sure the loss of the baby will be hard on her, on both of you."

"I'm sure it will," Sam sighed. "When can I see her?" he asked anxiously as both men stood.

"She's in recovery. I'll have a nurse come get you as soon as she's moved to a room," the doctor explained.

"Thank you again," Sam sighed in relief. Jess was going to be okay. She could have more babies even if would take her a bit longer to get pregnant. He felt as if he could suddenly breathe again.

Sam paced the room again until a nurse came to take him to Jess' room. He followed the young woman in scrubs down the hallway, eager to see his girlfriend. He stopped in the doorway to the room the nurse indicated. Jess was lying in the bed, her blonde hair fanned out around her on the pillow. She looked pale and fragile, and his heart skipped a beat.

"Hey, sweetheart," he murmured softly as he stepped to the side of the bed. Carefully, he reached down and took her hand into his. Her skin felt cool to the touch.

"Sam?" she croaked out groggily.

"I'm right here," he assured her as he tugged a chair over beside the bed with his foot. "Are you in pain?"

"A little," she sighed. "Sleepy."

"You sleep and I'll be right here when you wake up," he reassured her.

"'Kay," Jess yawned as her eyes slipped closed once again.

The next time she woke she was more lucid. A constant pain throbbed across her abdomen, but it was bearable. "Sam?" she called.

"I'm right here," he replied, moving over to her bed from where he had been looking out of the room's window. He put the cup of coffee he had been holding on the bedside table and reached for her hand. "How do you feel?"

"Sore," she answered.

"Do you need me to get the nurse? Maybe she can give you something for the pain." Sam's brow furrowed with worry.

Jess thought for a moment. "No, it's not too bad right now, but I might take you up on that offer in a little bit."

Sam ran his thumb over her knuckles. "The doctor says you will be okay."

A pinched, worried looked came over her face. "Will you lay down with me?"

"I don't want to hurt you," Sam protested.

"You won't," Jess told him. "Please."

Sam nodded once and slowly eased himself onto the bed. Jess winced in pain once, but then sighed in relief as Sam's arm slid around her shoulders.

"Much better," she told him as she rested her head against his broad shoulder. A small smile curved her lips as she felt him place a kiss to her temple.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked as he felt her tense beside him.

"Sam, did the doctor say if I'd be able to have more children?" She waited anxiously for her boyfriend's answer.

Sam's fingers traced patterns on the bare skin of her arm. "He said that it may be more difficult for you to get pregnant, but that still could have children."

Jess relaxed a tiny bit. "But what if I can't?"

"Then we will see a fertility specialist," Sam assured her. "And if that doesn't work, we'll adopt. It's gonna be okay, Jess. I love you very much, and that's what matters."

"You're right," she admitted. "I love you, too, Sam." She placed a gentle kiss to his stubble-covered cheek. "I wanted our baby. I was scared at first, but then, after I told you, I was excited. I could imagine you holding it and rocking it."

Sam swallowed hard around the lump that had formed in your throat. "If it was a girl, we could have named her Mary after my mother."

"I like that idea," Jess yawned. She wanted to talk about their baby some more, but she was so tired.

"Now, you get some rest. I'll stay right here with you," Sam assured her.

"All right," she agreed, her energy spent. Jess' eyes slid closed and she relaxed fully into Sam's body.

He stayed awake and alert, watchful over his girlfriend. Sam loved her dearly; he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. "I'll always keep you safe," he promised as he rested his cheek against the crown of her head, eager to see what the future would hold for the two of them.

Epilogue to Follow

Thanks for reading! Please continue to keep Jared in your prayers.


	3. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, although I wouldn't mind if Sam belonged to me.

Baby Blues

Epilogue

Sam leaned back against the windshield of the Impala and looked up at the night sky dotted with pinpricks of white stars. The last few days had been rough. He was happy to have his brother alive and safe at his side when both of them could have easily lost their lives to the angry poltergeist that had terrorized a young family. The smallest child, a little girl of about three with blonde hair and blue eyes, had taken quite a liking to Sam.

The little girl had begged to be held by the tallest Winchester brother and had even given him a big, noisy kiss on the cheek when the poltergeist had been banished and it was time for the boys to leave. It made Sam's thoughts turn to Jess and the baby the two of them had lost years ago. Sam's heart still ached at the thought of what might have been.

"I think you had a little girlfriend there, Sammy," Dean teased as he glanced over at his brother and shifted to get more comfortable. "That kid was in love with you." Dean didn't say what he was really thinking – a kid looked good on his brother, really good.

Sam somehow seemed to sense his Dean's train of thought. "I was almost a father once," he blurted into the darkness, his eyes fixated on the stars above them. He could feel his brother's eyes on him, so he continued speaking. "Jess and I, we were going to be parents."

"What happened?" Dean asked quietly, watching in the starlight as Sam's jaw tightened.

"Ectopic pregnancy. Jess was bleeding. She had to have emergency surgery." Sam ran a hand through his long hair, ruffling it in agitation. "I always thought we'd have more time, you know?"

"Yeah, Sammy, I know," Dean replied quietly as he allowed his shoulder to bump against his younger brother's.

The two of them sat in companionable silence staring up at the night sky and thinking about what might have been.

The End

Thanks so much for reading! Please keep Jared Padalecki in your prayers.


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